Defenders of Berk Synthesis

Let me begin by saying that Defenders of Berk was 100% awesome! It totally blew my expectations away after watching the first season which was admittedly lower given my opinion of Riders of Berk which didn’t totally impress me at all. Defenders was better in pretty much every category compared to its predecessor. I will pattern this synthesis with my previous one about Riders.

Let’s talk about patterns and flow. I get this feeling that Defenders really made a point to somewhat deviate from the loose pattern that I recognized from the previous season. As I said before I always thought that the episodic plots of the show revolved around mundane viking-dragon life which is then exacerbated by either the outcasts or a new dragon usually in an abrupt manner. I mean it’s not totally different in Defenders, but I definitely felt that each episode felt somewhat refreshing and I wouldn’t say unpredictable, but more of exciting. The flow and pacing of each episode also improved and the feeling that each episode unfolded abruptly or arbitrarily without proper build up wasn’t as apparent this time. Race to Fireworm Island or Fright of Passage are a couple of episodes which exemplify this excitement/refreshment in terms of episodic structure. In the former, no new dragons were involved except for the fireworm queen (to call it new is kind of debatable) and was more of a fleshing out of Snotlout’s capacity for compassion and loyalty to anyone other than himself which I quite liked. The latter shows some historical exposition which in tandem with a new dragon, the Frightmare, makes the episode stand out. The visuals in that episode was also pretty damn good which leads to another aspect of the season which saw incredible improvement, the animation.

The animation quality/level in Defenders of Berk went up a couple of notches and was very noticeable since episode 1 I would say. Maybe this is because of an increase in production budget or the show hired better animators and fired the ones from last season. Whichever the case might be, animation quality really helped with my personal enjoyment of the show and most of the episodes kinda looked like the first movie which I would say is the benchmark in terms animation.

Moving on to roles and identities, the show still manages to stick to its “guns” albeit with more room for characters to show their different dimensions. Hiccup is still the main man, but other characters got their time in the spotlight to good effect. Free Scauldy and Zippleback Down gave the twins the center stage and it was pretty successful in providing entertainment. Aside from that, Ruff and Tuff had moments wherein they showed capacity to show their worth as dragon trainers/ people capable of smart stuff (although most of them were accidental). The Iron Gronckle and The Eel Effect also gave the rest of the lesser major characters like Astrid, Fishlegs and Snotlout opportunities to also showcase their different dimensions. Overall Defenders of Berk have a better sense of balance when it came to their characters and episodes felt less and less hiccup-centric and more collectively centered.

Season 2 of Dragons really felt more mature when compared to season 1 as well. The themes are deeper and more nuanced. The characters (both good and bad) are more fleshed out and everything is smoother. I have this idea in my head that season 1 had a lower quality mainly because they were still testing the waters of the TV world. Coming from a box office hit, I guess the producers weren’t completely sold on the idea of a tv-series version and thus didn’t go all out in terms of investing in the show. Season 2 was probably better because the producers knew that there was a real, solid interest and was therefore profitable. This made them invest in better animators, better writers and overall a better show. Whether or not that is really what happened, season 2 was a really good watch and I wouldn’t think twice when recommending it to someone for some pleasurable child entertainment.

My Defenders of Berk, Synthesized.

Man, I really loved Defenders of Berk.

Unlike season 1, I think it gave me more satisfaction in terms of its narrative continuity, despite being a kids show. Each episode became more important as the season progressed. The villains became much stronger and smarter, so each Berk-ian or dragon rider must have more knowledge in dealing with them. More complications, more reason to continue the story, with some time to digress to develop the characters. For me, the narrative continuity entices me to watch the show even more because I want to know what happens next to these characters, with the full knowledge that they are developing, and they are striving either to save Berk or defeat it. Hiccup, Stoick, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Astrid, the Twins, Alvin, Dagur, Gobber, and the rest of Berk are all people, so knowing them and knowing what they could do to their world. As a binge-watcher then, seeing things unfold in each episode satisfied me a lot.

The lack of the voice-over component also caught my attention from the start until the end of the season. Not having a guide to tell the viewers what the episode vaguely is made the 2nd season a more visual season and much a telling one, unless it is really needed to develop the story. So Hiccup, I know you’re the leader of The Gang and the Dragon Training Academy, but you don’t have to use your kind of omnipotent powers to us as well. We know what’s going on much like you do. We appreciated your help during season 1, but we grew up now… I mean, we’re grown ups now.

However, the only thing I did not like about season was the fact that I will always know that Berk will always be saved at the end of the day. Dagur may be deranged, and Alvin may be treacherous, but they’re only individuals–compared to The Gang and Stoick’s intellect and strategy, they’re chicken. No one dies, and they even reveal at the end how Silent Sven already broke his silence, which adds even more light (?) to the ending of the season. With this in mind, I kind of questioned Dagur’s deranged-ness, and what damage could he really do to Berk. Other than that, I think it’s alright. It’s still a kid’s show. No need to show them the bitter realities of death… Or should we let them know already?

All in all, I think that as its target audience of fans who like How To Train Your Dragon and Riders of Berk grew up, so did the story and animators of Defenders of Berk. Everything seemed to be much better than it used to be in season 1, and I commend them for doing so. Sure, it still caters to kids (hence the lightness and episodic nature of each episode), but the fact that there’s more narrative continuity to it meant that the target audience must have enough investment in the show that they will continue to watch it each time it airs on TV. Defenders then encouraged me enough to watch Season 3, but with the limited time I have and the list of shows I have yet to watch, let’s see. But generally, good job on this one, my dudes.

DreamWorks Dragons: Defenders of Berk (S02E13-E20): An Unexpected Ending

Children’s stories follow a very specific format – the good guys come out victorious and the bad guys end up with nothing. Perhaps this format is popular because it teaches children that if you are good, good will come to you in the end. Children’s stories don’t spend too much time developing the arch nemesis so they usually stay bad till the end without any explanation as to why. The final episodes of DreamWorks Dragons: Defenders of Berk deviates from this format and comes up with a conclusion that will shock the audience. 

Ruffnut not just a twin

Everyone loves the twins! No matter the present danger, they always seem to steal a laugh from the audience. The things they say and the way they interact with each other makes for good entertainment and some much needed comic relief when the series drags on. The two characters complement each other well, which is probably why the episodes are usually dedicated to developing both characters together. It is the first time since the series started that we get to know one twin without needing the other. In the season two episode “Free Scauldy,” Ruffnut comes out on her own and for the first time we see a different side of her – a part that is kind and compassionate. In this episode, Ruffnut not only shows a different side of herself but also comes out as the hero. She finds a solution when the rest of the group, even Hiccup, was ready to give up. The decision she makes in the end to save her new friend shows ingenuity and self-sacrifice, very different from the character we understand Ruffnut to be. Perhaps this serves as the first break of a character showing audiences that people are capable of change.

Walk around in each other’s shoes a bit

As discussed in class, the best way to develop a character is to have them interact with the other characters in the story. This is seen throughout the episodes of season two, particularly in episode fifteen where Astrid and Snotlout go head to head and so do their dragons. Although it is later discovered that Dagur had a part to play in starting a war between the two dragons, it is really Hiccup’s challenge to Astrid and Snotlout that teaches audiences the only way to understand another person is to walk around in their shoes a bit. When Astrid and Snotlout are forced to exchange dragons for a day, they gain respect for the other and the work that he/ she does in training the dragon. In the end, they realize that instead of competing all the time, they can learn from each other and become better dragon trainers. This lesson is one that is echoed throughout generations and is a valuable lesson for children to learn.

Fishlegs and Meatlug heroes time and time again

In the beginning of the series, Fishlegs and Meatlug were always characterized by their being kind, loving and intelligent. However, when it comes to getting things done, the job was often left to the rest of the team. As the season draws to a close, we see Fishlegs and Meatlug emerging as the episode’s heroes time and time again. Through this, audiences realize that victory is not based on the leader alone but on every member of the team doing his/ her part.

People are capable of change

In the last two episodes of season two, Dagur relentlessly tries to capture Toothless and make him his own even to the point of taking Stoick the Vast as hostage. Berk is left without a leader and it is up to Hiccup to decide his father’s fate. In this hardest of times, Hiccup is forced to rely on their former arch nemesis Alvin the Treacherous to help save his father. Through their journey, he learns that his father’s experience with Alvin the Treacherous is similar to the one he now has with Snotlout. However, in the end Alvin the Treacherous proves to be someone that Hiccup and Stoick could rely on and the season ends in peace.

DreamWorks Dragons: Defenders of Berk closed with an unexpected ending, and I am happy it did so. Although it did have the bad guy behind bars in the end, it did demonstrate that former enemies could become friends if you give them a chance to earn your trust. A lesson that is difficult for even adults to learn these days. Season two comes to an end and I still see that DreamWorks Dragons: Defenders of Berk has much to teach audiences of all ages.

Defenders of Berk: Season Analysis

As I finished watching Defenders of Berk, I could surely say that I did enjoy season 2 way more than I did season 1. I originally thought I wouldn’t like Riders of Berk, but I actually enjoyed it despite it being a kids show, and even more so did I enjoy Defenders of Berk. I liked the second season because everything was more continuous. Most of the time, there would always be something that was significant that would happen in a certain episode, which would sometimes be part of the succeeding episode or so. I felt like almost everything that happened in this season was more or less value adding to the entirety of the plot. As a binge watcher, this type of storyline is what entices me to keep on watching, as I get hooked when I really feel that each episode is significant, and leads to the next. One example of how this continuity was seen was in how Dagur slowly became the new antagonist as he got more involved in the story, which left Alvin to slowly fade away. Also, the other supporting characters had more episodes that focused on them, showing new and different sides to how they could have possibly changed or at least, showed a new perspective of themselves. I liked how season 2 focused on other characters that were not as focused on before. Most of the time, there wouldn’t be many new sides of the characters’ personality that would show throughout the episodes. I felt like in season 1, the characters were really consistent and true to how they were always portrayed since the start, but season 2 made its stories on others, aside from mainly Hiccup, Toothless and Stoick. Aside from the people of Berk, many new dragons came into Berk, which made everything more interesting as it usually created either more conflict or an interesting opportunity. In the episodes in season 2, especially the episodes near the ending of the season, I noticed how more characters were talked about in just one episode. The episodes didn’t only focus on one old or new character, but the series found ways to integrate the different characters and different stories in one episode. I think that this made the storyline more interesting because of how you see how the characters and their personalities really interact with others and how their relationships work. I especially enjoyed the last three episodes, where Stoick has to let go of his dragon, when Snotlout gets suspended, and when Alvin tells his story. I especially liked these three events because I felt like everything really connected at this point. Wherein one thing had to happen for the other to follow, and everything just made sense. I remember how I thought that season 2 would be harder to blog about, because there were no longer any voiceovers that would introduce and conclude each episode. There would no longer be this tease on what the episode was going to mainly be about, and how in the end, the main lesson or value learned is practically just directly stated. I realized that in season 2, I really got to use my creativity and imagination, as more opinions and thoughts came out as I watched each episode. I did not need validation from Hiccup’s voiceover to say what was important or not, and I liked this more, as I thought about way more things than what I would usually think when I was watching season 1.

Defenders of Berk: Ep 18

There are different kinds of love in this world. The depth always varies from person to person, coming from different perspectives. An example would be Stoick’s love for his dragon, Thornado differs as to how Thornado loves his own teenage dragons (Bing, Bam and Boom)

I really love how Bing, Bam and Boom were destroying and disturbing the island of Berk because it was a new challenge for Hiccup and the island. Stoick wanted the three out of Berk so that they would not destroy the whole island but Hiccup refused and took the challenge to train these three dragons just to stay on the island and defend Berk for the future. Training dragons was not new for Hiccup but he has not trained TEEN dragons before. The academy tried to train them three but they did not listen (like teenagers) and still wanted to disturb the island of Berk. I feel that being a teenager, the three were having fun doing the stuff they did while they did not know that they were causing trouble. But who knew what they were thinking? They are wild adolescent dragons.  This was the first time that the academy would train teen dragons. I really got involved with the academy because it was challenging not just for them but also for Stoick and the island.

Thornado is a really strong dragon. I realized that in this episode it was focused on Thornado and the three adolescent dragons. I really loved the way they showed how caring and powerful Thornado was. Thornado was powerful because of how he treated and showed his strengths to his owner, Stoick. They were both a like because Stoick was the Chief of the island. They were sync together.

Yes, Thornado was a strong dragon. He screamed at Bing, Boom and Bam because they were annoying and they were destroying the island of Berk. But Stoick did not want more damage on the island so his mind was set and wanted the dragons out of the island. Then, Hiccup and Toothless showed the way to dragon island but unfortunately, after they left Bing, Bam and Boom, the three went back to Berk and started to destroy the island again. After this incident, Stoick was furious and he and the academy assisted the three back to dragon island and they saw that was happening and why the three dragons went back to Berk. The three were not accepted to the island and they could not protect themselves with bigger dragons.

Sometimes being small is also not good because sometimes the bigger ones use their strength to take over one place.

I got really emotional when Stoick, Hiccup and Fishlegs were coming back to Berk with their dragons looking back at Bing, Boom and Bang. So they went back and helped the three dragons. Then, Stoick and Fishlegs realized that, the three would never survive the wild without Thornado. Being a strong dragon, Stoick thought that they would need to have a good mentor (Thornado). So they left Thornado and the three dragons behind.

(I Started to cry because I remembered my younger adopted sister was left behind by her mother. It felt that my family and I were Hiccup and Stoick wanting to help the baby.)

I thought that having someone was special. Watching Episode 18, Big! Bam! Boom!, this gave me many insights because of what happened to Stoick and Thornado. There were many life lessons in this episode!

Defenders of Berk: episodes 13-20

In the episode “Free Scauldy”, what caught my attention the most was not the Berkserkers attacking Berk, but more of Ruffnut and her new relationship with the Scauldron. The Scauldron was a dragon that was not supposed to be in the Changewing island, which is why the riders immediately noticed its presence. The Scauldron initially showed that it didn’t like Ruffnut, but Ruffnut showed effort and sweetness, and eventually trained the Scauldron. This mainly was interesting to me because I thought about how the twins could possibly eventually have dragons of their own. Since there was also an episode where Tuffnut forms a relationship with another dragon, the Typhoonerang. In my opinion, whenever the twins are separated, they always get things done. One account of this was when Tuffnut had to make a poem on the spot to get stop Dagur from attempting to kill him. To illustrate this situation of the twins not really being able to get things done, in many occurrences, they usually show how they are useless, as they even label themselves this. But in the few instances when they’re actually apart, somehow there is always something that happens. I think that they will be able to do a lot more separately, and possibly, the first step to this could be getting their own dragons.

In the episode “Frozen”, yet another new dragon appears. These Speed Stingers are apparently the fastest dragons out there, or at least according to Fishlegs. I thought that this episode was actually about Stoick, which is one thing that I kind of missed. I remember in Riders of Berk, I kept thinking about how it was all about Hiccup and his relationships, mainly his relationship with his father and his dragon. In Defenders of Berk however, I realized that Stoick was never really focused on anymore, which was a good thing I guess, to make room for the other character. But personally, I really liked his character, so I actually enjoyed it when the show was focused on him. The new dragons were able to freeze people, which left them paralyzed for a while. I’m not entirely sure about this part, but Hiccup and Fishlegs caught what seemed to be the queen Speed Stinger? I just assumed this as all the Speed Stingers started to follow the captured dragon. Because Hiccup and Fishlegs were outnumbered, Stoick ends up coming back to save them, which is what always happens when Hiccup and friends get themselves into too much trouble. As they ended up getting the Speed Stingers out of Berk, I was wondering why they couldn’t just train them. In season 2, I noticed that there are so many new dragons that appear, but also, many of them are wilder and more dangerous as compared to the old ones. Because of this, I realized that there were actually a lot of dragons that they did not pursure to train, so I was wondering if maybe Hiccup and his friends could sort of level up and try to train these types of dragons. More so because Hiccup and friends make it seem like they’re really eager to learn about and train every dragon there is.

In the episode “A Tale of Two Dragons”, it focuses on Snotlout and Astrid. I never really understood Snotlout and Astrid’s relationship. Like how he hits on her all the time, even ever since the first movie. I don’t really know if this is all just to humor Snotlout’s friends, or if he’s being serious. I asked myself questions like: Is it because he wants a girl to show how manly and strong he is? Or, does he actually like her? Why her, is she the most attractive girl out there for him to show off? Or maybe because she’s the strongest woman fighter. But why would Snotlout want to be with her if he always wants to be the strongest? It also got me more confused because in the episode “Free Scauldy”, Astrid sort of flirts with Snotlout, which of course she just did for a plan, but Snotlout did not reciprocate, and showed that he was really weirded out. Meanwhile, their dragons were acting up and were fighting each other, and nobody really understand why. Hiccup shows how he’s sort of hassled by this , as his friends and their dragons aren’t getting along. I feel like Stoick’s advice and what Hiccup did, which was to make them swap dragons, was very smart because they finally were in a way able to empathize with each other, through the process of training with each other’s dragons. I think that this was a good plan, because this wasn’t  something that was easy for Snotloud and Astrid, because these two characters are full of pride and have very strong personalities. Finally, after they all resolved the conflict of the dragons fighting over the dragon root, Astrid and Snotlout switched back to their original dragons. I found this scene really heartwarming and cute when they talked about how much they liked and got along with each other’s dragons because it really showed how the humans can really create relationships with many dragons, and not just the one they train with.

In the episode “Eel Effect”, many people in Berk were sick, so Hiccup and Toothless do what they have to do to fix this, even though Toothless is obviously scared to go to Eel Island. I don’t know if I just didn’t understand this episode as much, but I feel like this episode was sort of unnecessary, and did not add to the continuity of the season. This really caught my attention because I feel like all the episodes now, especially that it’s nearing the end of the season, are all somehow connected which helps with intensifying the storyline. Anyways, Toothless ends up getting sick because he eats an eel. I guess this just shows how much Toothless is willing do to to save Hiccup, because apparently he, along with all the dragons excluding the Typhoonerangs, are terrified of eels. Fishlegs and Meatlug end up getting to Eel Island, saving Hiccup and Toothless, creating the eel pox, and being able to cure everyone who has gotten sick.

In the episode “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”, Dagur surprised me with how intelligent his plan was, well at least to me. Trader Johann came to Berk, and Gobber bought scrap metal from him which brought a bunch of Smokebreathe dragons to Berk, who were stealing all the metal. But then, this all happened because of Dagur’s evil plan. I found it smart for Dagur to plan for the people of Berk to not have any weapons when he attacks Berk, because all Dagur has are weapons, as he doesn’t train dragons. I liked how there is more than one conflict here, being the problem of the missing weapons and then Dagur coming in Berk, trying to attack. Of course, Hiccup and his friends come up with a plan to shoo Dagur away, by using the original problem which was the dragonbreaths, to their advantage against Dagur. Although I found that the plot in this episode was well thought of, I also felt like what was lacking was how they “fought” in the end, as it seemed sort of lame and rushed. I wish they fought Dagur more in this episode, or maybe it could have had a Part 2 to show it.

In the episode “Bing! Bam! Boom!”, with the new baby Thundertrums which just couldn’t seem to behave and calm down, Stoick had to leave his dragon in Dragon Island. The baby dragons only seemed to want to be with Thornado, but wouldn’t exactly follow him. Actually, they would literally just follow him around, so they couldn’t really be trained by Hiccup and friends. I was really sad when Stoick left Thornado, especially when he said “Take care of your new family” and “Goodbye, old friend.” Hiccup reiterated that Stoick really did do the right thing. But I really saw Stoick and Thornado as a good pair, as they really seemed to work well together. But then I thought about how Stoick only got his own dragon later in the story, so he would probably be fine without his own dragon too. Although, I feel like Stoick not being able to have his own dragon could possibly lead to not being able to save the people of Berk, if ever. Maybe this was a way to transition to Hiccup being an even greater leader, as he could possible be the new chief of Berk soon.

In the episodes “Cast Out Part 1 and 2”, the character of Snotlout is highlighted yet again. Because of his stubbornness, he was temporarily suspended from the academy. When Hiccup was talking about how he made Snotlout leave, I thought about how all of his friends have to respect him, even though they’re all friends and should look at each other equally. I know Hiccup is the son of the chief, but I kind of found it weird how they all have to “follow orders” from their friend. When Snotlout went to “Snotland” and was saved by Alvin from the Whispering Death, I was really shocked because I totally forgot about Alvin, now that Dagur was always in the picture. Even more so was I shocked when he saved someone from Berk, and even brought him back to Berk, knowing that he would probably get into trouble right after. I wasn’t sure what his true intentions were, whether saving Snotlout was just one of his evil plans, or if he actually wanted to help. Hiccup’s eagerness to find out why Alvin became an outcast sparked some interest in me too, as it was only then when I realized that I didn’t even know the backstory of Alvin yet.

When Dagur is brought up in the episode, everything gets even more complicated. He captures Stoick so Hiccup is now the acting chief, which I thought wasn’t surprising, given my thoughts on how Stoick no longer has Thornado. With the Screaming Death, Dagur and Alvin all in the same episode, I was really overwhelmed and somewhat confused, especially because Alvin was actually helping Snotlout. When I found out Alvin’s backstory, I felt bad for him and when Hiccup said that Alvin reminded him of Snotlout, I agreed as I shared the same sentiments. This whole season, I wasn’t really a fan of Snotlout’s character at all, so I wasn’t really happy with how so many episodes focused on him. But I guess it all makes sense now, because I guess they did that on purpose, for Snotlout’s character to really show, so people would really understand why and how he’s similar to Alvin. I guess how Alvin helped Hiccup, really showed how Alvin doesn’t really lie and stays true to his goals. I remember when I blogged about comparing Alvin and Dagur, about how Alvin stays true to his word just to get his goal, unlike Dagur who is stubborn and is always willing to lie and cheat. I think Alvin’s goal was really to get back a part of Berk, which all made even more sense after he explained what really happened to him. When the Whispering Death comes back in the picture, Hiccup then again finds away to use one problem as a solution. He uses the Screaming Death, who is just looking for its child, to go against Dagur. I remember a few episodes ago, where the Whispering Death was first shown in the series, as it was underground and destroying everything. I remember how I didn’t really understand what it was doing, or what its intention was when it was destroying everything. I didn’t get what the episode was trying to show to add to Defenders of Berk’s storyline. However, this was actually all connected to the Screaming Death, as the Whispering Death’s were just lost.

The episode and the season then end in a Hiccup voice over, which hasn’t been part of the series this whole season. A certain lesson was then again reiterated, which was that recklessness can sometimes be courageous, which I saw mostly in the narrative of Snotlout, which is sort of what happened to Alvin in the past. In the end, Alvin and Stoick are friends again. Stoick also has this conversation with his son about how Hiccup will someday make a great chief, and maybe someday, if I watch the next movies or series, I’ll see this happen.

S02E04-12: There’s more to being just a Defender

The more I watch Defenders of Berk, the more I actually love it. Season 2’s progression has been nice so far, and I love the new stuff that appears in it. In this blog, I will talk about the new ones and the nuances in the characters that the show has shown so far.

The new ones

Mainly in this set of episodes, more have been introduced not just to the dragons but to the world that Hiccup is in so far. Here are some of the new stuff:

The Screaming Death – Oomf, this dragon is actually scarier than imagined. At the end of Tunnel Vision, I’m sure as heck I did not want to be anywhere near this dragon. I love how aptly-named this is, actually. The albino-white skin only proves that looks could deceive. Its red eyes speak volumes. And as much as it sucks to kill a dragon, I just hope that it dies. It doesn’t in this episode set though, but dang, this boy is destructive, I mean look at the destruction it made in the aptly-named Appetite for Destruction!

The Flightmare – Fright of Passage would not be as action-packed as it seems if it were not for the appearance of this dragon. The Flightmare, as legendary as stories might have went around Berk, I don’t think it beats the Screaming Death in terms of scare value. This one does frighten and motivate Astrid though, as this has become the reason why she reclaims the power in her name.

The Skrill – Just when I thought that the Screaming Death was the worst dragon in the series, this one appears. With speed almost the same as the Night Fury, this one must have been Hiccup’s second worst nightmare. Seeing this one appear in A View to a Skrill still gave me the shivers (even though it’s not the Screaming Death) because it just looks powerful. And seeing this dragon become the root of Alvin and Dagur’s fight must make this one really powerful enough to defeat Berk. Thank Hiccup and the Gang that they always save the day.

Gustav – This boy is pretty much like Snotlout, and I really like him. I don’t think that he has the arrogance of Snotlout that would do harm to the other characters though, but seeing him in The Flight Stuff really enticed me to want to see more of him. The dedication he showed in trying to become a dragon rider means that he should really be part of The Gang. Sure, he’s still a kid and he still has a lot to learn, so I hope Hiccup trains him to become like one in the future seasons, so as not just to fill the Snotlout’s hole. I really see his potential, y’know?

The nuance(s)

In knowing a defender, there must be nuances in the members that makes them who they are. After all, the characters in this show are not just protectors of Berk, they are also people. In this episode set blog, here are the nuances I noticed in the characters involved in defending (and attacking) Berk:

A caring Snotlout (???) – This was surprising, actually. Seeing him push himself to the edge in Fireworm Island just to save Hookfang only showed how there’s still a bit of humility in Snotlout’s arrogant nature. Then again, it should be remembered that rest does not weaken the soul.

In-depth with Astrid – The Fright of Passage episode was unique for me because now I knew about Astrid. In a way, I was given context as to why she strives to be a strong Viking like her family. I just wish that there were more episodes dedicated to her because honestly, her intentions and motivations as a character must be known. She’s a really strong one here as a woman in a man’s world.

An arrogant Fishlegs – This episode set seems to be more controversial, with Snotlout being so caring for Hookfang in Race to Fireworm Island and now Fishlegs being a bit arrogant but motivated Terrible Terror trainer in Worst in Show. Seeing him insult Snotlout wowed me in a way that he never really would do this to anyone, considering his softness. I remember Hiccup in the Thawfest episode then, with him having the same attitude as Fishlegs, but I really cannot blame them for this because of where they are coming from. With Snotlout having a strong personality, both could not really be tamed when faced in a competition that could undermine this side of Snotlout.

Treachery – As if this ever went away for a while. With Alvin still alive, there’s no way this topic would go. However, this did not apply to Berk–instead, it applied to Alvin and Dagur themselves, with the two parts of A View to a Skrill showing the consequences of treachery to the villains of Berk.

Rough & Tough – Zippleback Down is the funniest one so far in this episode set because it showed me the Dynamic Dumbness of this Dynamic Duo. This episode really proved that no matter how dumb these two may be, there’s still a way for them to be saved from whatever trouble they might have found themselves in. Seeing the Torch the Typhoomerang return in this episode though also struck me because: One, his relationship with Hiccup on the last episode was cute, and; two, seeing him being trained by Tuffnut also created a dimension with Tuffnut that he can still have a bit of a brain despite always mindlessly wanting to fight.

Death and Dying – With Dragons being a children’s show, it is interesting to see how Snotlout, with his arrogant nature, panic about death. It’s true that all people die at the end of their lives, but I’m pretty sure children do not have the capacity yet to think about such. Hence, I like how The Flight Stuff tackled the subject with humor, and how similar Gustav is with him. I personally think that apart from being a filler, this is another wa to know more about Snotlout.

As this season progresses, I get to know more about the other people involved in defending Berk, hence the title of this blog post. Both the new ones and nuances prove the evolution of problems and the people living in it. I like it so far, especially with the spin that the show gives in each episode. However, I’m always given the assurance that everything will fall back into status quo. Everything will be alright in the end. It’s fine–it’s a children’s show anyway.

Defenders of Berk: Episodes 17-20

In episode 17, the island of Berk loses almost all its metal—including weapons. This left Hiccup’s tribe vulnerable to invasions. Later in the story, Hiccup and his friends find out it was Dagur the Deranged who planned the entire mess. What I loved about this episode was Stoick’s  newfound trust towards Hiccup. In the first few episodes of the entire series, I noticed Stoick would doubt or even blame Hiccup and his gang for the problems faced by the villagers. Now, he looks up to Hiccup and trusts him with responsibilities. In Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, he places his confidence in Hiccup and asks him for counsel and a plan. This shows that his character has developed with the way that he sees Hiccup as not only as his son, but also as a future chief. As the show progresses, their relationship has truly grown as well.

Personally, I believe Bing! Bam! Boom! had one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the entire show. This was when Stoick had to part with Thornado once he realized that the three baby dragons needed Thornado more than he did. This scene further expands the story and leaves the audience in a sort of cliffhanger state. After the episode, I had many questions that I wanted answered. One question that really bothered me was whether Stoick and Thornado would reunite again or would he find a new dragon to replace his Thunderdrum. All in all, I think this scene really thickens the plot and brings many ideas in mind. Maybe there can even be an entire episode which focuses on Stoick searching for Thornado in Dragon Island. I would really want this to happen since I believe choosing your dragon means choosing a partner for a lifetime. 

Finally, Cast Out is divided into two parts, similar to what the creators have done to the last episode in season 1. To be honest, I was very surprised when Hiccup teamed up with Alvin to save his father. Throughout the two episodes, I was wary and suspicious of Alvin since I’ve always known him as someone dangerous and deceptive. To add to this, the last time he made an appearance in the show was when he made a truce with Dagur but was planning to betray him once he captures Berk. The plot twist really surprised me, and the fact that they were successful in defeating Dagur surprised me even more. However, I felt the backstory of Alvin and Stoick as best friends was lacking, and I also wanted to know more about why the Outcasts exiled their leader. Although, I believe it was understandable that it ended that way since the goal of the final episode of a series is not to close the season, unlike that of a miniseries.

The last batch of episodes was very enjoyable, and I really liked how the quality of the episodes in general really improved compared to the very first episodes. It’s a bittersweet feeling after finishing the 2 seasons of the series with the class, but I’m keeping my head up knowing that when another door closes, another one opens (aka season 3!).

Episodes 13-20

When I said that the 9th episode was my favorite episode, I take it back. The 13th episode officially my favorite episode. I totally saw a different side to Ruffnut and again I like the fact that in this season they don’t thrust Hiccup into the limelight, rather I also get to enjoy the other characters and get to know them more. In this episode, I saw how Ruff can be a selfless as well and she’s not only the shallow, foolish reckless girl I make her out to be. Thus, I really appreciate that they decided to show this side of Ruff and that she’s not merely a troublemaker like her twin brother. The big reveal when they showed Ruff had cut her braid off made my heart raise because not only did she look amazing but I was getting emotional seeing that she had formed a bond with a Scauldron but had to go separate ways. I do hope I see more of them in the next season.

I was kinda hoping that Ruff’s hair was still short by the next episode but she had her long braid back. The next episode was something I found eerily creepy, it was like a scene from a typical zombie movie. I found this episode hilarious especially when Fishlegs landed on Hiccup, I don’t know why he had to creep around when he knew it was Hiccup that’s why it was a bit of a laugh. What really made me laugh was Meatlug’s position when she got paralyzed. It was also a heart-raising episode because the Speed Stingers ability to paralyze someone and they’re fast so it was like watching a police chase, Hiccup as the fugitive who has stolen something well, in this case, he did kidnap their leader and the Speed Stingers as the police chasing him down except the police here are not the good guys.

“A Tale Of Two Dragons” taught me that sometimes working together is the only way you can appreciate each other and actually learn to cooperate. In the case of Astrid and Snotlout seemed like a hopeless case since well it’s Snotlout, however when the situation calls for it you’re forced to work together and forget about the hatred you had for each other for a while. I just realized that dragon nip is like a drug maybe like marijuana and dragon root is like a lethal drug such as cocaine.

Episode 16 was hilarious for me seeing that people were acting weird especially the twins and I found it really interesting. However, I do prefer the old twins it’s just that it’s entertaining seeing them as complete opposites of themselves. I also found Toothless funny here when he ate an eel, he was like a dragon high on something or he was drunk. I’m starting to believe that Meatlug and Fishlegs are invincible, they’re so underrated and is considered the underdog because they’re not as physically strong and big compared to other dragons. I noticed that Meatlug and Fishlegs have been always backing Hiccup up and the heroic duo in most episodes. It was only them who Hiccup could count on to do a certain job such as getting rid of the dragon root and assisting Hiccup and Toothless.

I thought the 17th episode had a really witty title, “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” just like the song by The Platters. I really thought Dagur was going to defeat Hiccup this time because his plan wasn’t so bad except karma came to bite him in the butt. I didn’t really learn anything in this episode, I don’t know what message the writers are trying to get there. I don’t know why but I was starting to miss Alvin the Treacherous, I prefer him over Dagur the Deranged because at least he had a little bit of heart and he wasn’t whiny.

The next episode tugged at my heartstrings because it had a familial theme to it. Letting go is never easy and it will always hurt. When Stoic let go of Thornado, I knew that his chief ways would change.                                                                                                             

It wasn’t merely a pet and owner relationship, it surpassed that and they created a relationship bounded my trust and respect. When you truly do care, you’d learn to sacrifice and put others first before you. Thus, when we choose to let go of something it’s not because we want to but we have to for yourself or because someone needs it more than you do. The “Bing Bam Boom” episode showed me that parents although stern and can be dictatorial sometimes have a different way of showing their love that we sometimes just can’t fathom why they treat us the way they do. Oftentimes, I think that my parents are too much of a disciplinarian and are way strict but I know they only want what’s best for me.

I was actually satisfied with the last episode of the Defenders of Berk because I always wondered how they were going to defeat the Screaming Death owing to the fact that they never really succeeded in defeating him in episodes where he appears. I was curious as well as to why the Screaming Death was acting the way that he is, I thought he was just an untamed dragon full of fury and hatred. Another reason why I enjoyed it is because of the big come-back of Alvin the Treacherous who I thought was killed in the “View To A Skrill 2”.  It was a nice hefty bonus as well to know the backstory between Alvin and Stoic, what started the rivalry against each other and no, I still don’t agree that Alvin and Stoic were like Snotlout and Hiccup. Alvin and Stoic were best friends while Snotlout and Hiccup had a more of a love-hate relationship.

I knew it! I knew all along that Alvin and Berk would ally together to defeat Dagur. I never really hated Alvin because I knew he had a heart, hence he saved Snotlout and returned him back to Berk even if it meant he was going to get incarcerated. I found it a bit surprising that Mildew remained loyal, especially to someone who threatened to murder him countless times. I’m not gonna lie but I actually enjoyed Defenders of Berk to the point that I want to watch Season 3.

Defenders of Berk: Episodes 13-16

Free Scauldy opens up with Hiccup’s gang patrolling for the Screaming Death. This early on the show, I noticed that there is a continuing element. However, their plans change once they see an injured Scauldron on Changewing Island. Surprisingly, it was Ruffnut who tames and befriends the dragon. The fact that it was she who saved the Scauldron instead of Hiccup made the episode already more interesting. This episode reminded me of the time when Tuffnut befriended Torch the Typhoomerang and helped save Berk in Zippleback Down. It emphasized their “twinness” with the way that they tamed the dragons using their own creative ways—whether by accident or not. By letting Ruffnut take over the spotlight from Hiccup, it shows that the screenwriters added some variety to the show as well.

Frozen introduces another dragon called the Speed Stingers, which adds to the world building of the entire show. Looking back at previous episodes, I see the Speed Stingers as a combination of two dragons: the Flightmare and the Whispering Death. Similar to the Flightmare, Speed Stingers can paralyze their victims temporarily. They also remind me of the Whispering Death because they too obey and follow a leader. The similarity of characteristics to other dragons show that all dragons are related in one way or another. Furthermore, by combining the traits of two dragons to the Speed Stingers, the screenwriters create a more powerful species to attract viewers. More importantly, it gives the audience a sense of familiarity and understanding of the dragons, which allow themselves to believe that they too can be dragon masters as well.

Next, the 15th episode focuses on the fight between Astrid and Snotlout as well as their dragons. This episode taught me that we must try to work out our differences in order to solve the bigger problem. This lesson can be applied anywhere—in school, in orgs, and even work. A Tale of Two Dragons made me think of what I personally would do if someone disagrees with me on a certain idea or point. First, I would try my best to understand where she/he is coming from. I will also try to see if there is something we agree on so that we both have a common ground and and a starting point in resolving the conflict.  Ultimately, the episode shows that the saying, teamwork makes the dream work truly works.

From its name, The Eel Effect shows what happens to dragons when they swallow eels and the reason why they dislike eels in general. In this episode, the audience sees a different dynamic between Hiccup and Toothless. Usually, we see them working as a team in solving problems. Here, however, we see that that dynamic is lost. Toothless runs away from Hiccup, has an unlimited number of shots, and has red firepower. We see a different and scary side of Toothless, which reminded me of the Toothless in the movie, How to Train A Dragon 2. Watching the episode, I felt very uneasy seeing the distance and slight tension between the two. It was as if the screenwriters popped the “comfort bubble” I was living in. This is because I’m already so used to their friendship and love towards each other. The uneasiness I felt while watching made me realize that I’m emotionally engaged with the series. Them working together instead of against each other is one of the most constant aspects in the show. In the end, I must say I was very relieved once Toothless was healed and they went go back to being friends again. Overall, I’m really happy with how these episodes played out and I hope this level of quality can be retained in the last batch of episodes.